A large collection of personal items from Hong Kong’s late “unofficial mayor” Hilton Cheong-Leen, including letters he exchanged with British officials during the colonial era, has been donated to a local university and will soon be available for public viewing for the first time.
Flora Cheong-Leen, daughter of the first ethnic Chinese chairman of the now-disbanded Urban Council, told the Post the collection at Chinese University could serve as an “ideal” base for Hong Kong’s national education, which the city leader said during last month’s policy address would be strengthened.
“The collection forms an important part of Hong Kong’s history,” said Flora Cheong-Leen after the donation ceremony on Monday. “It tells the story about how an ethnic Chinese became the first to serve in a role which had always been served by white people.
“My father was a man of vigour, with a great sense of duty. He told us that service to humanity was the best work in life.”
Cheong-Leen became chairman of the Urban Council in 1981 and held the position for five years, overseeing municipal services on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon. He died in January 2022, at the age of 99.
The Guyana-born businessman turned politician was well-known for his commitment to public service, including a push for nine years of compulsory schooling for children, which was adopted in 1978.
The collection, spanning 1962 to 2012, includes about 80 speeches and over 150 letters Cheong-Leen exchanged with British officials as the chairman and later as a lawmaker.
In addition, more than 200 pictures of him with influential figures from home and abroad are featured, such as former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher and Deng Pufang, son of China’s late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping.
How ‘mayor of Hong Kong’ led push for reforms in colonial era
How ‘mayor of Hong Kong’ led push for reforms in colonial era
George Li King-kwan, the university’s special collection librarian, told the Post that the collection reflected Cheong-Leen’s thoughts on and solutions to various important livelihood issues, such as the Vietnamese boatpeople issue.
“More importantly, we can learn from his wisdom through how he communicated and interacted with the colonial officials,” said Li, adding most of the collection had not been seen by the public before.
Hilton Cheong-Leen, dubbed the ‘mayor of Hong Kong’, dies aged 99
Hilton Cheong-Leen, dubbed the ‘mayor of Hong Kong’, dies aged 99
Li added the collection had become permanent at the university and was expected to be available for public viewing early next year at the campus’ library.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced in his second policy address in October that the city would strengthen patriotism among students, in response to a new national law on patriotic education which also passed last month.
The measures include setting up a new coordination group for the matter, as well as replacing the general studies subject in primary levels with a humanities curriculum that placed a focus on patriotic education.